Termite damage during closing: should this be a deal breaker?

[Nate Desmond]

I'm in the process of closing on a property in NC, and the visual inspection has turned up evidence of termite damage and previous treatment:

"Termite tubes in between rear left garage slab wall and drywall bottom. Damaged baseboard trim at laundry room, hallway and front bedroom where walls share with garage walls. Also in side of door frame trim at front bedroom on hallway side. Treatment holes noted in garage slab, front and rear porch slabs and foundation slabs around home."

I'm not planning extensive rehab on this property, which is otherwise rent-ready. Will this be a substantial repair cost or challenge down the road?

My biggest concerns are around:

1/ How do I know the current extent of the damage? What's the risk that framing has been compromised?

2/ Should I be concerned about recurrence? Am I likely to have ongoing termite issues?

3/ What should I estimate for the repair and treatment costs? Should I call out a GC to place an estimate?

[Tom Harkins]

@Nate Desmond I re-read your post, treatment holes around the home is a good sign. It means a previous owner took action. One of my houses has treatment holes as well. A termite inspector said to look for swarming behavior in the summer- if they are active you’d be able to tell then. In my case they weren’t and the damage was confined to a small area, so it wasn’t a deal breaker.